When was the last time you threatened to throw your computer through the window?

When was the last time you got mad because you got unexpected or undesired results from your computer?

When was the last time someone reminded you that it's only a computer and it only does what you tell it to do... most of the time?

This is an issue we struggle with daily... someone pushes a few keys, clicks a few buttons and expects that the computer will give them what they want, regardless of whether they pushed the RIGHT keys or clicked the RIGHT buttons, or did either of those things in the RIGHT order. Then, when they don't get what they were expecting they start yelling at the "stupid computer" and cursing the day they first bought it.

I'm just here to remind you today that "It's only a computer!"

It does what you tell it to do. Yes, I know, you don't tell it to crash or freeze or dump your physical memory, but "it's only a computer" and those are the only ways it can cope with the overload when you ask it to use more power or more memory or more processing capacity than it has.

So, how do you deal with the frustration????

Back away from the computer.

Take a deep breath.

Remember, it's only a computer. A machine with a little itty, bitty logical brain that only knows 0's and 1's and which order it's supposed to process them in. If you start giving it 2's and 7's or enough 0's and 1's to choke a brontosaur all at one time, it's gonna just tell you to fly a kite (also known as "blue screen of death").

I often have to remind the other people who use my computers to SLOW DOWN... "Patience, grasshopper" is a regular phrase heard in my office! When you try to overwork your tool, just like using a single speed drill to build a whole house, you'll find that it dies or overheats or backfires once in a while.

So. Keep your tools up to date, and up to the tasks you're asking of them. Buy more memory (RAM), or a bigger hard drive, or a faster processor, or a new motherboard... get up to date versions of your software. And remember... IT'S ONLY A COMPUTER.

Life is too short to let technology ruin your day.

Make it a peaceful week!

About the Author: Kera is a small business internet coach, developer, designer and administrator. Offering complete business support from web management to book packaging to database design & deployment, her clients enjoy one-stop-service and continuity from Kera and her talented team of professionals. www.time4somethingelse.com